Why you should study this course
- Apply for a full year work placement which can count towards your professional Chartered status with the Chartered institute of Building
- A common first year makes it possible to transfer to our degrees in architectural technology, quantity surveying and commercial management or building surveying in the second year if you wish
- Current collaborative links with universities in 20 countries around the world, giving you the chance for you to spend part of your studies abroad (subject to availability and additional costs)
- Full accreditation from the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB), which is a requirement on the path towards membership of the CIOB*
- As part of your course and module assessments, you will have the opportunity to gain additional professional qualifications as well as your degree at no additional cost – an Autodesk certificate in Computer Aided Design (CAD) and undergo a Building Research Establishment Energy Assessment Method (BREEAM) to become an Accredited Graduate (BREEAM AG)
- Study on shared modules alongside students on a wide range of other professional disciplines such as quantity surveying, commercial management, architectural technology, building surveying, building services engineering and civil engineering, reflecting the interdisciplinary nature of today’s construction industry
- You will be taught by with academic and professional experience in project management, operations management, quantity surveying and commercial management, architectural practice, civil engineering; having worked in roles for a variety of both contracting and consultant organisations (please note staff may be subject to change).
What you'll study
Year one
In this course you will be introduced to the fundamental topics of resource management, economics, design and production processes, which are essential to practitioners in all construction professions. You will have the chance to be taught alongside architectural technology, building surveying, quantity surveying and commercial management students, providing you with the opportunity to develop an understanding of the professional duties of a construction manager working in a multi-disciplinary team setting to emulate industry practices.
Modules
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Project Design Skills – 10 credits
The aim of this module is to develop and understanding and awareness of the design process as relevant to all professions within the industry. Through introduction to the various techniques used to design and develop projects in a fast growing and changing environment, the purpose is to explore the reason for current practices in design while considering innovative practices of the future.
Compulsory
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Domestic Building Science and Services – 10 credits
The module will enable students to develop an understanding of the physical behaviour of the domestic building as a system, services design, durability, comfort and indoor air quality is essential to produce high-performance low-rise buildings, providing knowledge that focuses on the analysis of the physical phenomena and modern methods of energy control and how this impacts energy efficiency.
Compulsory
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Domestic Construction Technology – 10 credits
This module seeks to inspire students to develop full understanding of the principles of construction in relation to low-rise domestic building besides an appreciation of the various aspects of the design and construction technology required for constructing a sustainable and comfortable low-rise domestic building.
Compulsory
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Construction Materials – 10 credits
This module introduces basic concepts and develops an understanding of engineering properties of construction materials, including modern construction materials and structural construction materials.
Compulsory
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Construction Industry Practice 1 – 10 credits
The module aims to provide students with an understanding of the role of the construction professional within the multi-disciplinary construction industry.
Compulsory
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Land and Building Surveying – 10 credits
The aim of the module is to give the student a knowledge of how vertical and horizontal control is established on site through levelling and traversing and how this is applied to construction site activities. It will also give the student the necessary fieldwork skills to do this using appropriate surveying instrumentation.
Compulsory
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Building Project 1 – 30 credits
This module is an introduction to the core knowledge and skills that define the role of construction professionals within the building process in the UK and in the global context.
Compulsory
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Cost Management Practices – 10 credits
The aim of this module is to introduce all professional routes to the concept of cost management, the processes and aspects of cost involved in decisions made and some of the tools used to help manage these costs.
Compulsory
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Group Project 1 – 10 credits
The module aims to provide students with an understanding of the role of the construction professional within the multi-disciplinary construction industry and develop personal and team-working skills and attributes that are needed for a successful career within their chosen discipline and profession.
Compulsory
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Add+vantage Module – 10 credits
You will also be able to take an Add+vantage module which can allow you to develop your CV by taking credits in an area of study that doesn’t have to be related to your degree. The assessment type will depend on the type of Add+vantage module you wish to take.
Compulsory
Year two
The second year is where you explore the construction management professions in more detail and move from traditional industry practices into the more modern practices associated with building and infrastructure production today, including building information modelling, virtual reality and other advancing technologies. You will expand on the knowledge from Year 1 and discover new ways of working in a multi-disciplinary team in Group Project 2, which will also get you prepared for your industry placement year in year 3.
Modules
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Law for Construction Professionals – 10 credits
This module will introduce general principles and concepts of law related to the construction industry. The module's aim is to develop an ability to understand and apply these legal principles to particular legal problems that may arise in the course of construction activities.
Compulsory
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Commercial Construction Technology – 10 credits
The aim of this module is to develop an advanced knowledge of construction technology and procedures of commercial developments for students who have prior knowledge of low-rise domestic scale construction.
Compulsory
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Construction Industry Practice 2 – 10 credits
This module covers essential industry relevant skills and development, preparing students for the workplace promoting individual practical skills development.
Compulsory
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Commercial Building Science and Services – 10 credits
This module focuses on the Building services and systems for commercial and high-rise buildings. This includes the electrical, mechanical and public health systems. It also includes some fundamental aspects of building science such as building physics, building materials, thermal comfort, thermal efficiency and indoor environmental quality.
Compulsory
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Project Administration – 10 credits
The aim of this module is to explore the concepts, theories and principles relevant to construction management and quantity surveying practices, in particular studying the pre-contract and post-contract financial and cost management procedures.
Compulsory
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Construction Project Management 1 – 20 credits
This module is intended to enable students to demonstrate a knowledge and understanding of the practical principles which will need to be applied for the successful completion of construction projects in terms of time, cost, quality and stakeholder expectations to be achieved within the constraints of a changeable economic and legislative environment.
Compulsory
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Building Project 2 – 30 credits
This module will focus on further integrating your understanding and appreciation of construction management, quantity surveying, building services engineering, building surveying, architecture technology or real estate management with the process of project development in Commercial projects.
Compulsory
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Group Project 2 – 10 credits
The aim of this module is to develop the student’s skill base through the continued development of critical, transferable study skills that are of practical benefit in the workplace and that promote and enable continued professional development.
Compulsory
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Add+vantage Module – 10 credits
You will also be able to take an Add+vantage module which can allow you to develop your CV by taking credits in an area of study that doesn’t have to be related to your degree. The assessment type will depend on the type of Add+vantage module you wish to take.
Compulsory
The optional sandwich year allows you to apply the theory learnt in Years 1 and 2 in a professional industrial placement setting, either at home or abroad. This optional placement year can provide valuable context to assist in final year completion as well as enhancing CVs, enabling smoother progression into industry on completion of the final year.
If you wish to undertake the optional study abroad/placement year, you will take either the Placement Year module or the Study Abroad Year module which both typically run for a full academic year between years 2 and 3 of your course. You are normally able to progress onto the relevant module if you have successfully completed the first two years of the course (i.e. having accumulated 240 credits) and have a confirmed opportunity two weeks prior to the start of the academic year. However, we encourage international students to confirm their placements earlier to ensure they are able to meet any applicable visa requirements.
Students opting for either the work placement or study abroad module will be registered on a non-credit bearing module. Whilst the modules do not bear credits, they do require completion of marked activities reflecting on your placement/study abroad or work placement experience. Following successful completion of the activities, the module selected will appear on your final academic transcript. Students will thus graduate with 360 credits in total, assuming successful completion of their final year.
Please note that we are unable to guarantee any placement or study abroad opportunities and that all such opportunities may be subject to additional costs (e.g. travel, visas and accommodation etc.), competitive application, availability and/or meeting any applicable visa requirements. To ensure that you fully understand the requirements in this regard, please contact the International Office for further details if you are an EU or International student.
Final year
In your final year, you will have the opportunity to deepen your knowledge of contract management, including procurement methods, tendering procedures, the contractual relationship among project participants and an awareness of all of the main standard forms of contract available in the UK construction industry.
We also focus on post-contract management practices and procedures, including construction finance. You will have the chance to gain a solid understanding of basic accounting and financial principles, preparing you to apply spreadsheet techniques to analyse financial problems and better understand financial and cost control issues from a corporate management perspective.
You have the opportunity to apply your knowledge to a 'real-life' project that will reflect the skills required in professional practice. Past students have used a variety of actual projects both in Coventry and further afield to apply their learning. You will also be expected to perform a detailed research study with the help of an experienced supervisor. You can choose a topic to suit your interests or to assist your career aspirations, with previous dissertation topics covering the use of drones in construction, the use of mobile technology to monitor construction work, and the effects of the planning software on project success.
Modules
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Contract Management – 20 credits
This module aims to develop your understanding and critical awareness of the selection, use and interpretation of standard forms of contracts within the construction industry in the UK. The module is specifically useful to those intending to be involved in contract practice and administration of construction projects.
Compulsory
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Construction Project Management 2 – 20 credits
This module will enable critical awareness and deliver a greater understanding of some of the advanced principles of construction management as well.
Compulsory
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Sustainability and Innovation in Construction – 20 credits
This module aims to study the influence of current legislative, contractual, cultural, scientific and technological changes in the construction industry and its impact on the process of construction design and management.
Compulsory
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Group Project 3 – 20 credits
The aim of this module is that students will accrue a detailed understanding of some of the key stages involved in a construction projects through the operations of a simulated design and construction team. Students will, working in groups, learn how to manage, through Building Information Modelling, aspects of a project through a feasibility study.
Compulsory
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Research dissertation – 30 credits
The aim of this module is to enable students to develop their research skills by conducting primary or secondary research focused on a specific problem of relevance to their discipline. Students would use different methods and research skills to effectively communicate research novelties and ideas to the academic and non-academic communities.
Compulsory
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Add+vantage Module – 10 credits
You will also be able to take an Add+vantage module which can allow you to develop your CV by taking credits in an area of study that doesn’t have to be related to your degree. The assessment type will depend on the type of Add+vantage module you wish to take.
Compulsory
